Existing law establishes procedures regarding the registration of voters. Under existing law, a person may not be registered to vote except by affidavit of registration, and a voter may not vote in an election unless his or her affidavit of registration is executed and received by the county elections official on or before the 15th day prior to the election. Existing law permits any registered voter to vote by a vote by mail ballot, and further permits any voter using a vote by mail ballot to vote the ballot at the office of the elections official beginning 29 days before the election. This bill would establish one-stop voting whereby a person would be permitted to register to vote and immediately vote on election day or at any time prior to election day when ballots may be cast. The bill would require a voter, in order to register and vote by means of one-stop voting, to visit a location at which one-stop voting is available, to present proof of identity and current residence, as specified, and to complete an affidavit of registration. Upon completing that registration, the voter would be immediately eligible to vote by regular ballot. If the voter is unable to complete that registration because the voter is unable to present proof of identity or proof of current residence, the voter would be permitted to register and vote by provisional ballot. The bill would require each county elections official to compile an index of voters who register to vote by one-stop voting. After the official canvass of the votes for that election is completed, the elections official would be required to review the names on the index and cancel duplicate registrations. The elections official would be required to send a voter registration form to every person who properly registered to vote by one-stop voting, and those persons would be registered for future elections at the address that the voter declared for purposes of voter registration. The elections official would be required to notify the district attorney and the Secretary of State if it appears that a person has engaged in fraudulent voting. The bill would require that one-stop voting be available at every permanent office of a county elections official beginning January 1 of the year following the implementation of VoteCal. In addition, the bill would require that each location at which one-stop voting is available have a separate area for the process and have at least one precinct board member who is trained in one-stop voting. The bill would authorize the Secretary of State to adopt appropriate regulations to implement one-stop registration and voting. The provisions of the bill establishing one-stop voting would become operative as of January 1 following the date that VoteCal is implemented. By creating new duties for local elections officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.
Sponsored bills
This measure would proclaim the month of May to be Women Veterans Recognition Month.
Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to provide breast cancer and cervical cancer screening services to eligible low-income individuals under a federal grant made under the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention breast and cervical cancer early detection program. Funding for these services is provided by a combination of federal and state moneys. Existing law requires these services to be provided at the level of funding budgeted from state and other resources during the fiscal year in which the Legislature has appropriated funds to the department for this purpose. This bill would, insofar as consistent with federal law and without jeopardizing federal funding, require the department to provide breast cancer screening and diagnostic services to individuals of any age who are exhibiting symptoms, with a physician's recommendation, and individuals 40 years of age or older, provided the individual otherwise meets the state eligibility requirements. This bill would appropriate an unspecified amount to the department for the breast and cervical cancer early detection program.
Under existing law, any taxing agency or instrumentality of the state may file a petition and prosecute to completion bankruptcy proceedings permitted under the laws of the United States. This bill would provide that a local public entity may only file under federal bankruptcy law with the approval of the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission, except as specified. The bill would also provide an alternative procedure for a local entity to file under federal bankruptcy law by submitting specific analyses regarding its financial position to the State Auditor who would be required to audit the analyses and financial position of the local entity. The bill would make the local public entity responsible for the costs of the audit, as specified. The public entity would be authorized to file a petition under federal bankruptcy law after the State Auditor has notified the public entity of completion of its audit work and made public the findings of that audit.
Under existing law, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, the State Department of Developmental Services contracts with private nonprofit regional centers to provide or purchase services and supports for persons with developmental disabilities. Existing law vests in the department jurisdiction over various state developmental centers, including the Sonoma Developmental Center, for the medical and nursing care of patients with developmental disabilities. Existing law imposes various functions and duties on the Director of Developmental Services with respect to the provision of services for the care and protection of persons with developmental disabilities. This bill would make a consumer from any regional center eligible to receive temporary intensive behavioral intervention services at the Sonoma Developmental Center through the center's existing behavioral treatment units in specified circumstances. The bill would require the regional center to make the determination of whether to provide those services and would specify that the consumer is prohibited from remaining in the Sonoma Developmental Center for a period exceeding 6 months without a review by the regional center and the Sonoma Developmental Center. This bill would require the costs of administering the program to be funded through existing resources of the department. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Sonoma.
Existing law provides for the establishment and operation of the Veterans' Home of California at various sites, and declares that there is in the Department of Veterans Affairs a Veterans' Home of California, Yountville. This bill would update that provision to declare that additionally there are in the department a Veterans' Home of California, Barstow, a Veterans' Home of California, Chula Vista, a Veterans' Home of California, Lancaster, and a Veterans' Home of California, Ventura. This bill would require the Veterans' Home of California, Lancaster, to also be known as the "William J. 'Pete' Knight Veterans' Home of California, Lancaster." This bill would also make other conforming changes.
(1) Existing law requires that a person, other than a nonimmigrant alien, as defined, who has attended high school in California for 3 or more years, who has graduated from a California high school or attained the equivalent thereof, who has registered at or attends an accredited institution of higher education in California not earlier than the fall semester or quarter of the 2001–02 academic year, and who, if he or she is an alien without lawful immigration status, has filed a prescribed affidavit, is exempt from paying nonresident tuition at the California Community Colleges and the California State University. This bill would enact the California Dream Act of 2010. The bill, as of July 1, 2011, would exempt a person who has attended, for 3 or more years, at least one of which shall have been in a high school, and graduated from, secondary school in California from paying nonresident tuition at the California Community Colleges and the California State University. Under the bill, persons attending and graduating from California technical schools and adult schools, as well as high schools, would be included within the scope of this provision. (2) The Donahoe Higher Education Act sets forth, among other things, the missions and functions of California's public and independent segments of higher education, and their respective institutions of higher education. Provisions of the act apply to the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California, by appropriate resolution, act to make a provision applicable. In any action in which a state court finds that a specified law, or any similar provision adopted by the regents, is unlawful, existing law authorizes the court to order the administering entity that is the subject of the lawsuit to terminate any waiver awarded under that statute or action, as equitable relief, prohibits the award of money damages, tuition refund or waiver, or other retroactive relief, and provides that the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California are immune from the imposition of any award of money damages, tuition refund or waiver, or other retroactive relief in a lawsuit. This bill would amend the Donahoe Higher Education Act, as of July 1, 2011, to require the Trustees of the California State University and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, and to request the regents, to establish procedures and forms that enable persons who are exempt from paying nonresident tuition under the provision described in (1) above, or who meet equivalent requirements adopted by the regents, to apply for, and participate in, all student aid programs administered by these segments to the full extent permitted by federal law, except as provided. This provision would apply to the University of California only if the regents, by appropriate resolution, act to make it applicable. If a state court finds that this provision, or a similar provision adopted by the regents, is unlawful, this bill would provide that the same limitations described above would apply. This bill would further provide that, on and after January 1, 2011, a student attending the California State University, the California Community Colleges, or the University of California who is exempt from paying nonresident tuition under the provision described above would be eligible to receive a scholarship derived from nonstate funds received, for the purpose of scholarships, by the segment at which he or she is a student. Existing federal law requires that a state may provide that an alien who is not lawfully present in the United States is eligible for any state or local public benefit for which that alien would otherwise be ineligible under a specified federal law only through enactment of a state law that affirmatively provides for that eligibility. This bill would find and declare that the amendments to the Donahoe Higher Education Act described above are state laws within the meaning of this federal provision. (3) Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. Existing law authorizes the establishment of community college districts under the administration of community college governing boards, and authorizes these districts to provide instruction, for prescribed fees, at community college campuses throughout the state. Existing law authorizes the waiver of these fees for, among others, students who are eligible under income standards established by the board of governors. This bill, as of July 1, 2011, would require community college districts to waive the fees of persons who are exempt from nonresident tuition under the provision described in (1) above, and who otherwise qualify for a waiver under this provision, under regulations and procedures adopted by the board of governors. Because the bill would impose new duties on community college districts with respect to determining eligibility for fee waivers, the bill would constitute a state-mandated local program. (4) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.
Existing law prohibits a person from carrying a passenger on a motorcycle or motorized bicycle unless the passenger is on a seat or in a sidecar. A violation of this prohibition is a crime. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to ensure the safety of a child passenger on a motorcycle or motorized bicycle operated on a highway.
Existing provisions of the California Constitution require the state to apply a minimum amount of funding for each fiscal year for the support of school districts and community college districts. Existing law provides that, for purposes of those minimum funding requirements for school districts and community college districts, appropriations for deficiencies and prior year adjustments are deemed appropriations in the fiscal year in which the deficiencies or prior year adjustments occurred, unless otherwise provided by law. Existing law, the Quality Education Investment Act of 2006, authorizes school districts and other local educational agencies to apply to the Superintendent of Public Instruction to receive funding to allocate to elementary and secondary schools and charter schools that are performing as specified, to improve academic instruction and pupil academic achievement. The department is required to perform, or contract with an independent evaluator to perform, various reports and evaluations, as specified, including a report to the Legislature and the Governor regarding a final evaluation. In that report, the department is required to make recommendations to continue, modify, or terminate the program by January 1, 2014, based upon the results in meeting the specified measurements. This bill would specify criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of pupil-counselor ratios in that report.
Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, as defined. The Public Utilities Act requires the commission to review and adopt a procurement plan for each electrical corporation in accordance with specified elements, incentive mechanisms, and objectives. The act requires that an electrical corporation's proposed procurement plan include certain elements, including a showing that the electrical corporation will first meet its unmet needs through all available energy efficiency and demand reduction resources that are cost effective, reliable, and feasible. The act additionally requires the commission, in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, to identify all potentially achievable cost-effective electricity efficiency savings and to establish efficiency targets for electrical corporations to achieve pursuant to their procurement plan. Existing law relative to the restructuring of the electrical services industry requires the commission, in evaluating energy efficiency investments, to ensure that local and regional interests, multifamily dwellings, and energy service industry capabilities are incorporated into an electrical corporation's energy efficiency program portfolio design and that local governments, community-based organizations, and energy efficiency service providers are encouraged to participate in program implementation, where appropriate. This bill would require the commission, in evaluating energy efficiency investments, to ensure that local and regional interests, multifamily dwellings, and energy service industry capabilities are incorporated into an electrical corporation's energy efficiency program portfolio design, and to encourage participation from local governments, community-based organizations, and energy efficiency service providers in program design, revision, and implementation, where appropriate. The bill would require an electrical corporation, when developing or revising its energy efficiency program portfolio design, to collaborate with, and seek comments from, county climate protection authorities or other public agencies that are directly authorized to implement regional or countywide climate protection and energy efficiency programs. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because the provisions of this bill would be a part of the act and place additional duties upon electrical corporations, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new crime. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.